When Jobs Don't Count

Job creation is not bad, if the jobs created are value-producing jobs which add to the REAL GDP of our country.

Let's look at a typical household -- mine. I have a job at an office where I provide value to the overall market through utilizing management and clerical skills. I earn a set amount of income which I bring home to my family as a paycheck.

My wife sees that paycheck and says, Wahoo!

We're kind of an old-fashioned household where I make the money, and she takes care of the bills and the household upkeep. She works hard, and uses a portion of my income to buy little extras like groceries, clothes for the kids, etc.

Now, let's say that she wants to use a portion of my income to buy new drapes, but I want to use that same portion of money to buy a lawn mower which I will use to mow neighborhood lawns and thus add to our overall household income. We argue a little, she gives me that look, and I cave in. We have nice drapes, but no lawn mower.

Has our overall GDP (i.e. household income) increased?

No. We have taken our limited funds, redistributed them, and our house looks nicer. She provided work, received money, used that money to purchase stuff, but our overall income stayed the same. Actually, we're poorer in the long run because money which could have been used for capital investment was used toward cosmetic, short-term comfort.

Now, the USA is a household and in that household the Government is the wife of Small Business. Small business works hard and actually increases the income (the real GDP). Small business (and large business) brings home the bacon. The government works hard, too, but doesn't actually increase the income; it actually drains the real income by using the household income to buy drapes, build roads, feed welfare recipients, etc. These are NOT bad things. But, they do drain our economy.

When the government-wife wants to use money for a new ironing board and the small-business-husband wants to use that same income for new tools, new workers, and new resources, then small business should win. This would increase the overall income of the household n the long run. However, government gives small business that look which says trouble is coming, and small business forks over the money, in the form of taxes, to the government.

Government declares that it will use this money for job creation, but these jobs will be ones which drain the REAL income of our country. The people will work hard, get paid, and be happy. But, in the long run, our economy will suffer loss of capital, production, and overall growth.

It's wonderful that the stay-at-home government-wife wants to work so hard around the house. But a flurry of activity at home merely serves to mask the fact that the small-business-husband has unfulfilled earning potential which can only be realized through the actual production of value-providing goods and services OUTSIDE the home.

That's where free trade and economic growth actually occur.

Sorry, Obama, er, I mean, honey.

Aidan at Seven

This is just so that I don't forget.

Aidan is on his 3rd money-making scheme: 1) 25cents for admission to his top bunk when he was six yrs old, 2) selling rocks to raise money for a band, 3) 25cents to use his bike pump on your tires.

He made 25 cents on the first one, nothing on the second, and he's up to 50cents on this latest one.

His teacher this year (2nd grade) says he's still behind. I think that she's afraid he's going to own her someday LOL

Anybody need a tire inflated?

Jesus is My Happy Meal

"No, Daddy, we want to go to McDonald's!"

"We want the TOY!"


I've just finished listening to Seth Godin's Purple Cow, and now I'm listening to his other audio book Free Prize Inside. Godin very clearly sets forth the need to be remarkable in today's market, and he likens the WOW! factor of extraordinary products and services to the 'free prize' inside a box of Cracker Jacks.

It's an understatement, but when I received the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour, I got more than I was expecting.

I just wanted to go to heaven when I died. I just asked for forgiveness of sins.

I wasn't expecting the free prize inside!

"He that hath the Son hath life" (I John 5:12). I got eternal life, but I also got ABUNDANT life! And righteousness. And healing. And hope. And peace. And wisdom. And so many other things that are all wrapped up in Christ. To have Jesus is to have these things; he is those things to those who believe!

A friend of mine said to me, after accepting Christ into his heart, "If you would have told me that He takes away the guilt, I would have gotten saved sooner." Another friend told me that she had never experienced hope before she met Christ. For her, hope was the prize inside; hope made salvation remarkable.

So, 'taste and see that the Lord is good,' and enjoy the gifts that are 'in Him.'


Because Jesus is both the Happy Meal and the Free Prize inside!

The Kingdom of God is Purple

I've recently finished listening to Seth Godin's Purple Cow. Godin postulates that in today's market, the standard 'p's of promotion, product, publicity, etc., require an additional 'p' which he aptly calls purple. A purple cow standing in the midst of a field of ordinary cows would be attention-getting, and not-at-all ordinary. Godin thus uses the word purple as synonymous with the word remarkable.

Purple products are advertised through word of mouth. They don't require mass media blitzes. They don't need TV ads or magazine spreads. Consumers are obsessed with products that are purple, and their purple-ness spreads from neighbor to neighbor over backyard fences and around family barbecues.

The Kingdom of God is purple.

Well, that's not entirely correct. The Kingdom of God in its purest form is purple, but unfortunately, it is all too often presented as a stale, boring, and dry version of itself. Clothed in the suit and tie of religion, Christianity is seen as a list of rules and requirements, and not as the very LIFE of God flowing joyfully from the hearts of the redeemed.

"[T]he kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and JOY in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14:17)

As Tony Campolo once wrote, "The Kingdom of God is a Party!" It's a celebration! It's contagious! It's heart-warming, life-giving, and you want to tell everyone you know! It bubbles forth like a fountain of living water. It can't be stopped! It's unique and irresistible!

In its original form, the Kingdom of God 'went viral' immediately after the Resurrection of Christ, and it hasn't stopped since!

Even its critics can't stop talking about it!

True Christianity doesn't require its members to tell others about Jesus, and there are no demerits if you keep it to yourself. But why would you want to?

The Kingdom of God is remarkable ~ it's purple!





Have you discovered this wonderful, oh-so-purple life?

Heads or Tails?

Twice in Deuteronomy 28, we are told that we are the "head and not the tail."

This is a promise made by God to those of his people who have fulfilled the requirements of the Law. According to Matthew 5:17, the Lord Jesus fulfilled those requirements on our behalf. Ephesians 2 tells us that at one time, we Gentiles were "strangers from the covenants of promise" but now, in Christ, we are made "nigh." Because we are in Abraham's Seed, we are now partakers of the promises made to Abraham and to his children.

These promises of being the 'head" are for those of us who are in Christ.

Which begs the question, What does it mean to be the head? The head is the decision maker. The head is the leader. The head is above. The head is NOT the behind. It is not below. It is not a follower.

What?!?!

You heard me: The head leads, it doesn't follow. I believe that religion blinds our minds, binds our hands, and turns us into slaves, but true Christianity frees us. Religion turns us into followers. Christianity turns us into leaders.

We are kings after all.

I'm not saying that we should be rebellious. I'm not saying that we shouldn't follow orders. What I am saying is, STOP SITTING THERE LIKE A BUMP ON A LOG! You've been made free. You've been give the power to make choices, set courses, and lead men.

It's nice that you are a mild-mannered employee who never rocks the boat. It's wonderful that you follow every order to the 't.' But, you have been created to be MORE than that.

The choice is yours. Which will it be: Heads or tails?



What's your choice? Let me know!

Sliced Carrots

My boss let me go home early on Tuesday! It was a lovely, sunshine-y day and the phone wasn't ringing.

"Get outta here," he said, "You've been working really hard around here, and you should go spend some time with your family."

What a great guy!

"But," he added, "I expect you to work a couple of hours this Saturday. Got it?"

What a jerk!
I'm still reading The Carrot Principle. In the book, the authors talk about recognition as a means to increase employee satisfaction and retention, and profits.

However, there is a slight caveat that they mention. Most managers are 'Expecters' - that is, they give rewards with strings attached. They may give you a nice little reward, on Tuesday, but they also expect you to work late on Friday (or come in on Saturday morning). It's manipulation, not recognition.

And, it smacks of legalism and a wrong view of grace. It's giving with ulterior motives.

The other type of manager is the 'Altruistic' manager. They genuinely care about their employees, not just the bottom line. They get to know their employees, and want them to do well in their private lives and in their business lives. When these managers give rewards for attaining goals, they give without strings attached. The recognition is purposeful and given freely.

This kind of recognition is more like biblical grace. It is a gift freely given, and nothing else is required. It has a personal touch. It builds relationship and trust. It builds morale.

It should come as no surprise that when recognition of achievement is given altruistically, employee satisfaction goes through the roof (and profits go up, too), but when the same recognition comes piggy-backed on fear and manipulation, the employees see through it.

Take note! Grace changes the employee from the inside out, and produces a better company.


P.S. My brother mentioned a good example of this. The Altruistic manager says, "Thank you for doing such a wonderful job." The Expector says, "Thank you for doing such a wonderful job...keep it up!"

Whatcha think about that?

Rendering Honour & Employee Recognition

I've been listening to The Carrot Principle by Gostick and Elton. What a powerful book about employee recognition and its effect on business.

In their book, they mention studies that include over 200,000 people in dozens of countries, one-on-one interviews, and focus groups. And with all this research, they have discovered what the Bible says: Render honor to the person who deserves it! (Rom. 13:7)

Did you know that if a manager is good at the basic managerial techniques - goal setting, communication, accountability, trust building - he is still missing his most important tool if he doesn't know how to show appreciation to his workers?

Managers believe that employees want good pay and job security first and foremost, but the studies have shown time and again that employees really want to be appreciated and kept informed. Without purposeful recognition, employees leave their jobs in search of new ones where they will be appreciated; this employee turnover costs American business over $5 TRILLION every year!

Almost 70% of employees say that they were not shown any measurable appreciation last year!

However, in companies that emphasize recognition, both employee and customer satisfaction increases, productivity increases, and profit increases .

"Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour."

It's a simple thing but it goes a long way toward affecting your bottom line.